Microsoft Exec Says Company Isn't Trying to Fuel HD Format War

In response to the Blu-ray camp's offensives and accusations this week that Microsoft is prolonging the format war, Kevin Collins, director in the Microsoft Consumer Media Technology Group, defended the company's backing of HD DVD.

"The [Blu-ray] camp's claims about Microsoft's desire to have a format war are baseless," Collins said. "Microsoft has over 100 people working on HD DVD interactivity and we believe that HD DVD is the next-generation optical format."

Collins went on to categorically reject accusations from the Blu-ray camp, and explained why Microsoft had chosen HD DVD over Blu-ray.

(via Home Media Magazine on November 2, 2007)

[ktchong]

This is so vicious that it's delicious.

[Itachi]

If it means stopping sony then Microsoft will support HD-DVD and prolong the war

if you hear all comments coming from bill gates and the Microsoft camp they are only on one side the digital distribution side

[PS3 Limps on and on]

I thought it was against n4g.com to report stuff that is false.

[Real gamer 4 life]

ofcourse they dont want sony to take win the format war. if they do win then Sony will have the upper hand.

[gamesR4fun]

what do you expect tho M$ isnt going to give up after sinking all this cash besides admitting defeat on hddvd will hurt the xbox imo...
Honestly tho i hope neither win let them duke it out and drop the prices even more... 199 ps3 or xbox w/hddvd anyone?

[bym051d]

Hitler: No Plans to Attack Poland!

Read all about it!!!

[riqued]

Yeah right...
If Bluray wins its a big problem for MS, people will want a Bluray player and many will buy a PS3 for that.

[lawman1108]

http://www.circuitcity.com/...

The A2 sold out at Walmart,Best buy Circuit city you name it for $99 bucks. Now this unit that was $300 bucks last week is $199 WITH 7 free movies (and I think Best buy gives you another 2 free if they are under 15 bucks so thats 9 free) This is a tough deal to pass up. I bought the A2 this am at Walmart then saw this deal so I am taking back the A2. Now with my ps3 I have them all covered.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

And I'm the Easter Bunny...

[kingfury]

Micro$oft has once again, lied to it's customers.

[Fan Tastic]

Whatever now that HD DVD's like Transformers can be obtain on blu-ray it is all good!

http://www.image-load.eu/ou...

http://www.image-load.eu/ou...

http://www.image-load.eu/ou...

http://www.image-load.eu/ou...

http://www.image-load.eu/ou...

[gnothe1]

your trying to show images of the movie on blu ray, show use WHERE you can get the movie!! I've searched all over the place even tried import places an i dont see a blu ray version yet so either show where you can buy it or stop spamming with those pics!! you do know what photo shop is right!!

[OC_MurphysLaw]

If you look at some of the pictures Fan Tastic posted it almost looks as though he is playing some kind of streamed movie download. Look in the upper right corner of the screen. Are those download / streaming numbers or am I reading into that wrong?

Either way...would love to see links where you can buy Transformers on Blu Ray.

[Fan Tastic]

Those numbers and letters are related to the codec and bitrate. Every blu-ray movie displays the info

[Ju]

So, where did you steal it from, then ? Did you rip a HD-DVD or just play a plain DVD ?

[Fan Tastic]

More info to come in the upcoming months or do research and find out now ;)

[Ju]

AVC isn't the BD codec, either, but AFAIK, it BD can support AVC and MP4. So, what ? Did your "reburn" HD-DVD onto a BD ? Also, I see you are playing "Title1" which is a file, rather then an image or your BD hasn't gotten any proper title.

[Real gamer 4 life]

I mean they say that sony made the wrong move by including blueray player on the ps3, but the reason that sony is winning this format war is because of the ps3. I mean if blueray continues to out sell hd-dvd through out this holiday season, then i all the movie developers are going to go bluray exclusive and sony would then have won this format war. And now that the ps3 is at 400 bucks, i dont see hd-dvd staying in this war for a long time.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

So my biggest question about Blu Ray out selling HD-DVD is: Are we talking Blu Ray movies vs HD-DVD movies or are the numbers put up Blu Ray discs sold vs HD-DVD discs sold?

Also, are movies that are packed into the PS3, 360 add-on and mail-in rebates for movies counted as sales? Because if they are....well the entire outlook for both formats still looks pretty bleak in terms of true adoption.

[Bleucrunch]

Come on guys there is no way Microsoft will give in and say that blu-ray is kickin ass right now. They would rather fight to the death and spend millions and lie to its consumers then accept the reality of the situation. Everyone knows that microsoft has deep pockets and they will pay everyone to go in there favor. Just look at paramount and universal pictures, they sold out quciker than rockstar did.....(oops did I say that out loud)!

[vangl76]

No matter what supporters from either side say, they want their format to win or least prolong it as long as possible.

[FunnyBone]

Wow, Are there any Adults here????

I already know the answer

[skitzoid]

the answer to than?

[Bill Gates]

Don't blame Micro$haft people. They're just a company who plays very dirty trying to stay in business, but their demise is imminent.

Blame the UNEDUCATED XBOT BABOONS for prolonging this war......AHAHHHAAHA

Those are the TRUE MORONS who are prolonging it out of spite for Sony having the # 1 Kickass system this time around. They're angry and this is how the idiots try and rub it in. But in the end they'll just have WASTED their money on HDDVD like the BABOONS that they are....AAHAHHHAAHAHHAHHA

[ActionBastard]

"300 HD DVD exclusives include a strategy game, the ability to view and choose from the wallpapers and ring tones via the cell phone, picture-in-picture for the duration of the movie and the ability to have a community experience where users can share their favorite clips with other 300 HD DVD owners and rate those scenes. "

Yest BD sales of 300 were double HD DVD. Interactivity FTW!

[gamesR4fun]

more b/r sales no matter how they try to spice up the hddvd version until they catch up to the install base.
Now if they keep up the 99$ hd/dvd player for a year or two they got a shot imo...

[Groo]

Camp? lol I got my 360 to play games not watch movies..

[cmrbe]

Obviously Microsoft don't care about quality or supporting superior technology. I guess i don't blame them. I mean if they could get out inferior products that cost less that get them loads of cash then why bother eh?. I don't hate Microsoft as this is how most business operate and is the fact of life. I might be a minority but i will always support the better tech any day even if cost more why?. Because their cost will come down and everyone will benefit from the better tech.

[razer]

I will keep this relevant to game consoles but what is so inferior about the 360?? It's a game console and the games are looking spectacular and it's up to the dev's to provide new and creative experiences. MS gave the dev's easier and better tools to do accomplish that how is that inferior??

[cmrbe]

I was referring to Blu vs Hd-dvd. Almost every article i have come across says blu is superior. For me personally it's the space issue. We already have problems with Hd-dvd not able to do what Paramount wanted with Transformers because of space limitations and this is just the beginning. .As for Microsoft. It was obvious that they went with Hd-dvd because it is cheaper but not necessarily the best. With regards to ms products. Can you honestly say the x360 was well bulit?. How about windows os?.Yes the x360 has games and has great dev tools but how much more can devs get out of the x360?. I don't know but sofar the best looking game on x360 is Gears which came out a year ago. Even the show piece game on x360 didn't even match it with regards to graphics.

[razer]

"Collins said Microsoft did not and will not bundle the HD DVD drive in Xbox 360 because the company believes that gamers are first and foremost gamers. "

Nice one. As much as the fanboys want to connect MS to HD-DVD and this stupid format war I think if you read the article it is clear why MS chose HD-DVD and not Blu-ray at the time.

[Ju]

BS! Microsoft choose HD-DVD because they are the sole license holder of their codecs (WMF based) and they own interactive programming language (and tools) HDi while BD used "open" standards like MPG4 and BD-J (HPs java based language). MS would loose big here to BD if HD-DVD loose. Just because they bought the DVD consortium doesn't mean, M$ became the honest all of a sudden.

They didn't put HD-DVD into the 360 because the tech wasn't ready and would have cost them at least $100 to $200 more on the 360 price, which then, would have no cost advantage against the PS3 - the only reason why the 360 sells.

[Meus Renaissance]

That was an extremely good read. I learnt alot about the formats there. Bubbles for Peg for bringing this.

[damnwrx]

That's because you don't have add-on player, Dude!

[Groo]

Can't play games on an add on player dude!

[SpenserTracy]

What this guy actually doesn't want to say is that you have to read between the lines. He actually believes that the PS3 will sell a lot during Christmas. Awareness about Blu-Ray is higher. HD-DVD is dead on the Xbox as no one buys HD-DVD movies, they just want to play games and Microsoft is content with that as they should be.

[JokesOnYou]

"Microsoft Exec Says Company Isn't Trying to Fuel HD Format War"

some sonykid above said micro is lying to its customers= well of course they are, if any customer takes that PR statement as an indication that micro wants bluray to win= NO, which is why they oppose it, but they can't come out and say we want both formats to keep fighting until we get digital distribution up and running, ha ha its PR at its best but why would anyone question whether or not they are trying to fuel the HD format war anyway= isn't it obvious they are to anybody with eyes= THEY SUPPORT HD DVD and they offer a hd dvd add on, bluray camp shouldn't be crying, they sound like babies only because micro didn't choose to support their format. So is micro fueling this war by taking a side against bluray and sony?= YEAH no sh!t Captain Obvious, but most importantly SO WHAT, THATS BUSINESS.

JOY

[Bladestar]

Just like Sony have the right to support blu-ray.. microsoft have the right to support who ever the hell they want... specially when Sony had to forced microsoft to get involved by adding blu-ray to the PS3... if blu-ray wins now... Sony will obviously not shut up about how the PS3 supports the already stablished next gen format... Microsoft cannot allow blu-ray to win until the format war is irrelevant to this generation... that is the next 2 years... or at least when stand alone blu-ray players are a lot cheaper than the PS3...

So, no shame on saying it... the PS3 have direct conflict of interest against the xbox 360 and microsoft future as a company.... so burn it... HD DVD may not win but it's on microsoft best interest to support it... "the enemy of my enemy is my friend".

Microsoft don't really have any problem with blu-ray as a technology... but Sony strategy is making blu-ray the enemy for a company like Microsoft... Sony is using a format that suppose to be a open standard for the benefit...

It was impossible for the xbox 360 to include any HD format let alone blu-ray since they werent finalized when the xbox 360 was released... and including it would force the xbox 360 to be delayed and even worst cost more than the PS3... so the xbox 360 would be dead before it was even released...

blame Sony for prolonging the format war... if they would keep the PS3 console out of it... or make an blu-ray addon, only use it for games... I'm sure that HD DVD would be dead long time ago... and the xbox 360 would have an blu-ray addon too.

but.. bladestar.. but... the consummer.. is getting screwed? bull $h!t!... no they are not... the companies are... they are the ones that have to lose money on hardware to be able to promote their format...
competition ALWAYS benefit the consumer...

Do you think HD DVD would be a $99 in less than one year?
Do you think blu-ray would be at $400 from more than $1000 less than one year ago.. if blu-ray would be the only format?

Let the war go on... at this rate both format will be selling their players at $49 in less than one year... burn! burn! burn!

this companies are crying because they are hurting right now... losing money by giving the people the goods... for less that what it cost to make... something they would not be doing if they had no competition...

[Fan Tastic]

and I mean no way in hell would they have figured out how to use a HD DVD drive.

[Ju]

Good points Bladestar, however, I don't want to take M$ out of their accountability here. They forced their AVC codecs upon the DVD group. They could have use MPG4 or DivX, but instead choose the AVC because M$ promised them that codec is part of Windows and the only one supported.

To not include an HD drive into the 360 was probably more a timing issue. They new they needed to get the machine out at the time and ahead of the PS3. Cost was the second reason. In the long run, I believe this is short sighted. A HD drive is inevitable for next gen consoles with a life cycle of 10 years (or 5-7+ if you want). Probably in 2 years from now, DVD will be widely be recognized as last gen. Which leaves more the 50% of a console life cycle with old tech, in case of the 360.

I agree, however, they couldn't at that point - free and open is M$s enemy, and always was. But I would like to know, why Toshiba got a sh!tload of money from M$ when they almost decided to drop HD DVD and go BD instead. Was this also an "accident" ? or how does M$ talk themselves outa here again ?

[Marceles]

So did anyone who owns an xbox receive this newsletter promotion for HD-DVD?

http://ebm.email.xbox.com/c...

I got this on 10/18...looks like they've clearly taken a format side to me. They're advertising their HD-DVD add-on which I can understand...but this is still "format war fuel". They would've never released the add-on in the first place if war wasn't meant to be.

[Adamalicious]

This is just a word game - of course they don't want the war, they just want to win - whatever that means to them.

[Strange]

I am truely sicked by Microsoft's strategies.

It seems to have only gone downhill after the release of Windows XP.

They monopolize their main market, the OS market, which is an okay by me if they provide good service, but the fact is that Windows Vista is a simple fiasco. Why?

The reason is simple, they are dedicating WAY too much resources trying to screw other industries up and not trying to improve their OS products. This high definition war is a perfect example.

Shame...

[demolitionX]

this format war will end when ALL studios go to either side. I can't see disney, sony, or fox going to HD DVD, but i can see other studios going to BD campaign :)